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Radio

Play trailer Poster for Radio PG 2003 1h 49m Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
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34% Tomatometer 119 Reviews 79% Popcornmeter 100,000+ Ratings
In a racially divided town, coach Jones (Ed Harris) spots a mentally disabled African-American student named Radio (Cuba Gooding Jr.) near his practice field and is inspired to befriend him. Soon, Radio is Jones' loyal assistant, and principal Daniels (Alfre Woodard) happily notes that Radio's self-confidence is skyrocketing. But things start to sour when Jones begins taking guff from fans who feel that his devotion to Radio is getting in the way of the team's quest for a championship.
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Critics Consensus

The story is heavy on syrupy uplift and turns Radio into a saint/cuddly pet.

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Critics Reviews

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David Germain Associated Press 11/12/2018
Gooding and Harris' characters are too pure and high-minded to exist in the real world. Yet the small-town sense of community and compassion they evoke is so goodhearted, the movie manages an amiable, if fleeting, rise in spirits. Go to Full Review Nell Minow Common Sense Media 12/28/2010
4/5
Lesson of kindness permeates inspiring true story. Go to Full Review Ed Park Village Voice 10/28/2003
Based-on- a-true-story kitschfest. Go to Full Review Micheal Compton Bowling Green Daily News 11/15/2019
It's a film that has good intentions, [but] it's just unable to deliver, mainly because Gooding is never believable. Go to Full Review Kaleem Aftab The List 04/18/2019
2/5
This is a case of cinema killing the radio star. Go to Full Review Joel Siegel Good Morning America 01/05/2018
C+
Leave it to Hollywood to make a movie called Radio that would play better on TV. Go to Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Vincent F @VF128690 1d This movie is inspiring and fun filled. You can’t help but smile and damn near shed a tear any time you see people coming around to Radio throughout the course of the movie. The critics are hateful people who have nothing better to do with their lives than to just shit on good movies. Cuba Gooding Jr isn’t the best actor, not by a long shot, but he was believable enough in this movie to be a mentally challenged man. The one thing that is really unbelievable in rural, 1970’s South Carolina is that they didn’t have whites only and "colored" restaurants and Radio was allowed to hang out with Coach Jones everywhere. Other than that, I love this movie and will always watch it when I can. See more guglielmo d @guglielmo 4d Yet another reason to distain the so-called critics on this site! I have absolutely no idea why they get so much credit I've seen way more movies than most of them.. I think I'm around 5000/6000 movies by now if not more, there used to be times I watched 6 movies a day on VHS with two recorders being able to rewind and watch at the same time. And 26 years or so I got my first unlimited movie theatre card, being able to watch as many movies as I wanted every day for months for free... I watched 3 to 4 in the cinema. Anyway this movie is Great! Not at all bad! Very very underrated! We need more of this and Cuba is a great actor such a pity of his personal life antics. See more Nicholas t @nicktalbert2025 Jan 4 Radio best drama movie See more Nicolás Antonio H @Nicolas190 Dec 30 Le doy cinco estrellas porque es una película que te deja lecciones que es divertida chistosa en momentos pero en general buena película la recomiendo 100% See more Ben V @Benny-V Dec 17 The movie is really good. In the middle to the end of the movie I cried. This is actually based on a true story of James "Radio" Kennedy. This is a must see it will make you laugh and it will make you nonstop cry. Rest in peace Radio. See more Mitchell S @Mitchstur Aug 14 It's a feel good movie that illustrates how the world should be. Cuba Gooding, Jr. proves a superb actor, being able to play a mentally disabled person so well! See more Read all reviews
Radio

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Cast & Crew

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Michael Tollin

Director

Cuba Gooding Jr.

Radio

Ed Harris

Harold Jones

Alfre Woodard

Principal Daniels

S. Epatha Merkerson

Maggie

Brent Sexton

Honeycutt

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Radio

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Movie Info

Synopsis In a racially divided town, coach Jones (Ed Harris) spots a mentally disabled African-American student named Radio (Cuba Gooding Jr.) near his practice field and is inspired to befriend him. Soon, Radio is Jones' loyal assistant, and principal Daniels (Alfre Woodard) happily notes that Radio's self-confidence is skyrocketing. But things start to sour when Jones begins taking guff from fans who feel that his devotion to Radio is getting in the way of the team's quest for a championship.
Director
Michael Tollin
Producer
Michael Tollin, Brian Robbins, Herb Gains
Screenwriter
Mike Rich
Distributor
Columbia Pictures
Production Co
Revolution Studios
Rating
PG (Thematic Elements|Mild Language)
Genre
Drama
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Oct 24, 2003, Wide
Release Date (Streaming)
Apr 25, 2011
Box Office (Gross USA)
$52.3M
Runtime
1h 49m
Sound Mix
Surround, DTS, SDDS, Dolby Digital
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